Blackhawks Sign Matthew Highmore
On Thursday morning, the Blackhawks announced they have signed undrafted free agent forward Matthew Highmore to a three-year, entry-level contract.
#CapFriendly CONFIRMED
Matthew Highmore #Blackhawks
3yr ELC- $775,833 C/H
2017-18: $742,500
2018-19: $767,500
2019-20: $817,500
+GP bonuses pic.twitter.com/OaBxMXG0Ao— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) March 3, 2017
Highmore, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Feb. 27, has scored 32 goals with 50 assists for 82 points in 58 games with the Saint John Sea Dogs in the QMJHL. His 50 assists rank seventh on the QMJHL this season. Highmore has scored 11 power play goals with 21 assists with the advantage, and also has three short-handed goals.
Saint John is currently in first place in the Maritimes Division. Highmore is listed at 5-10 and 187 pounds and is left-handed center. He is a teammate of Nathan Noel, a fourth round pick by the Hawks in 2016.
Last year he posted 75 points in 65 regular season games and 20 points in 17 postseason contests for Saint John.
Was Highmorec a previous Hawk draft pick or was he a free agent ?
Undrafted player
Looking at Jr. Stats…
good 1st year
terrible 2nd
solid 3rd and 4th
Scouting reports say + skater, + speed, relentless back-check… seems like a Hawk guy… just wonder why not drafted???
Jurco holds the Seadogs Rookie Goal Leader record ,Huberdeau holds Most points record ,and your friend and mine ,Charlie Coyle holds most playoff points for the team . Sounds like a very well coached team ,.,. Highmore is truly a team leader .
Nice signing .
I see this team a lot and Highmore has skills. Very good on the PP, great passer/vision and not afraid of going to the net even though not very big (not many on the team are except Imama) and a bit of an agitator like Noel is. Highmore does whine to the officials a little more than I like. This team is stacked with Thomas Chabot, Mathieu Joseph, Gauthier, Veleno, Highmore and Noel. You will probably get a good chance to see them at the Memorial Cup.He and Noel can play together in Rockford.
I forgot to mention he takes every key faceoff and does penalty kill as well. Yes very good coaches in SJ Gerard Gallant (when they won Memorial Cup)and Danny Flynn currently.
Gbladz- who is faster Noel or Highmore?
I heard Noel is great at Faceoffs… Highmore better?
Noel 57.1%
Highmore 53.3%
Highmore has taken 1269 draws.
Noel is at 786
Ernie– I am waiting for 1 lap skate times- for each player… common your computer broke?
Noel is faster, he is very light and quick on his feet, Highmore can skate too but doesn’t have that quick acceleration (kinda Hino like). Noel’s numbers may be better but Highmore is the guy they trust in key situations and he is like the quarterback out there. He isn’t overally big and is kind of whiny (lays on the ice sometimes to draw penalties) which may have turned some scouts off but works hard and plays both ways
I’ll see what I can do.
Schmaltz leads Hawks with 3.32 TKA per 60 minutes.
Hino- 2.82
Hossa- 2.62
Panarin- 2.00
Kane- 1.82
Regarding why he was not drafted? Great players are missed all the time:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_undrafted_NHL_players_with_100_games_played
Nobody ever drafted Eddie Belfour, Dino Cicarrelli, Charlie Huddy or Tim Kerr…and more recently Tanner Kero.
And Artemi Panarin
Some very meaningless trivia- only 2 brothers to not be drafted and play 100 NHL games-
(pre-draft excluded)
The Brookbanks